Man dead after armed-person call at U of T Mississauga

A 19-year-old man was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a residence room at the University of Toronto Mississauga on Monday night, and Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating, the watchdog said.

Peel police said officers received reports shortly after 9 p.m. Monday of an armed person inside a unit at the McLuhan Court residence on the UTM campus, according to CBC News. Police entered the unit and found the person dead.

The SIU said the man was not a student at the university, according to CTV News and CP24.

The SIU, which investigates incidents involving police that result in death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault, said the case began with a 911 call about a man who assaulted a woman in Brampton. Police then tried to locate and arrest the suspect, the SIU said. The watchdog has not said what contact officers had with the man before he was found dead.

The university issued a shelter-in-place order Monday night while police searched the campus. The order was later lifted. UTM cancelled classes at the Mississauga campus on Tuesday.

Some early online reports described gunfire on campus. The SIU’s account so far is that one man was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police and the SIU have not reported any other injuries.

The SIU said it has assigned investigators and forensic staff to the scene. Its director must decide whether there are reasonable grounds to lay a criminal charge against an officer. Police have not reported that any officer fired a weapon.

Canada News Media is not naming the man while the investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact the SIU, which can be reached through its website.

UTM is one of three University of Toronto campuses.

The search term “UTM shooting” drew more than 20,000 searches in Canada over the past day, according to Google Trends Canada.

Canada News Media will update this story as the SIU and Peel police release more information.

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Sources: CBC News, CP24.